A large number of different berries grow on the territory of Russia. Among them, far from the most famous are relatives of raspberries, northern berries. Cloudberry belongs to a plant of the Rubus family. It can be found in wetlands and tundra. The berry is very capricious, because it does not like rain, wind and frost, but it is very useful.
Description
Sweet and sour taste and aroma similar to a mixture of currants and oranges. In addition to the name "northern berry", the people also call it "moss currant". The composition of nutrients and trace elements, however, has much in common with these crops.
So, cloudberries contain:
- vitamins B1, B2, PP, A;
- potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, aluminum, silicon, sodium;
- carotenoids, beta-carotene;
- fatty and organic acids;
- mono- and disaccharides;
- tannins;
- pectins;
- phytoncides;
- fiber;
- dietary fiber;
- ash;
- other useful substances.
These northern berries are 84% water. In addition, they are high in vitamins, making them a source of important elements for the body.
Useful properties of cloudberries and contraindications
Phytotherapists have long appreciated the healing effect that the berry gives, and use it. Eating cloudberries contributes to:
- improve blood circulation;
- cell regeneration and renewal;
- enhancing cardiovascular activity;
- lower blood pressure;
- strengthening immunity;
- infection prevention;
- better vision.
Like all plants saturated with many useful substances, there are useful properties of cloudberries and contraindications. The berry has the following therapeutic effect:
- diuretic;
- antimicrobial;
- healing;
- astringent;
- anti-inflammatory;
- sweatshop.
It perfectly treats skin diseases, moisturizing, softening and restoring the skin. Helps nail growth and stops hair loss. Having considered the beneficial properties of cloudberries, and now we will also study contraindications in order to know whether this berry can be eaten.
Harm
Cloudberries should not be consumed in case of individual intolerance, and not only in its pure form. Do not eat dishes with its addition. In addition, cloudberriescontraindicated in:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- heavy acidity;
- chronic kidney and liver diseases.
Even if a person is he althy, the berry should not be abused. Otherwise, you may experience itching, a rash, and heartburn or nausea.
Slimming
Cloudberry is a berry (the photo you see), which has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes toxins and toxins from the body, helps to eliminate excess fluid, get rid of puffiness and normalize lymphatic drainage system. With a very low calorie content and low sugar content, she is actively struggling with excess weight.
Dishes that can be cooked with it for this purpose are as follows:
- salads;
- compotes, juices and other drinks;
- mashed potatoes, souffles, puddings;
- snacks;
- gravies and sauces;
- other.
Teas are made from it, marmalade, marshmallow and jam are prepared. Despite the fact that these are sweet dishes, due to the presence of cloudberries in the diet, they are allowed.
The berry may well be combined with mushrooms, meat, fish, cereals and muesli, nuts, dairy products, vegetables and dried fruits, croutons and honey.
But, of course, fresh cloudberries (berries) are of the greatest value. The photo below illustrates the most common diet dish with her. This is sauerkraut, with the addition of carrots and cranberries with cloudberries. The dressing is water and spices.
There are no diets that consist only of cloudberries (the so-called mono-diets). But the fact that by adding it to your diet, you will significantly improve your body and help get rid of extra pounds is an established fact.
How to use
Eat 100-150 grams of berries 2-3 times a week. The same rule applies to pregnant women. But breastfeeding mothers should consult a doctor before eating cloudberries.
Before 8 months, children should not be given a berry. From a year old, it can be added to fruit puree, for example, from apples. Start feeding with one tablespoon, gradually increasing the portion. Pure cloudberries can be eaten by a child from the age of three and only under adult supervision.
How to choose
The berry ripens exactly in the middle of summer. But the period does not last long, only half a month. An interesting feature is that the red color of the fruit means an unripe berry. When ripe, it turns a yellowish-orange color.
If you buy cloudberries in a store or market, you need to carefully inspect it: are there any signs of damage and is it covered with mold.
The useful properties of cloudberries will appear, and contraindications will become relevant only if the product is of poor quality. That is, the berry should not be rumpled or with allocated juice. But it would be preferable to buy with sepals, since in this form it is better preserved. Frozen cloudberriesyou should feel it well so that the berries are not stuck together and do not have pieces of ice.
Storage
Berries are stored at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees. The term of ripe fruits is up to 4 days, and green - up to two weeks.
Traditionally, cloudberries are used to make sweet dishes, compote or preparations in their own juice. In another recipe, the berry is mixed with sugar, diluted in a 1: 1 ratio, and left in the refrigerator. You can also just freeze the fruits. The main condition for this is that they are dry and undamaged.
Berry in folk medicine
Healers treated various diseases using not only the fruits, but also the leaves with the roots of the plant. They saved people from problems with the intestines, liver and kidneys, bile ducts and cardiovascular activity. It has been noticed that with regular use, putrefactive processes in the gastrointestinal tract are reduced, and biochemical ones return to normal.
It is useful to eat after poisoning, with beriberi, burns, colds, fatigue, cystitis, diarrhea, dropsy, scurvy, scabies and many other serious diseases.
In order to stop bleeding, take a tablespoon of dried leaves and pour a glass of boiling water. After cooling, you can take orally 70 milliliters 3 times a day.
When kidney stones should drink plenty of water, and take the tincture 4 times a day, 100 milliliters.
To get rid of pus, fresh leaves are smeared with fish oil and applied to the affected area. The compress should be changed from 2 times inday.
To improve appetite, water and (juice) cloudberries are mixed in a 1:1 ratio. Reviews of relatives caring for their relatives with cancer testify that lubricating the affected areas with gruel facilitated the patient's condition with tumors.
Very useful is the tincture. It is taken for gout, kidney stones and metabolic disorders. It is prepared in the following way. Two teaspoons of leaves are taken and poured with a glass of boiling water. Then the tincture is left for several hours. Cloudberries in this form are distributed into equal parts and drunk in one day. This recipe will also help with gastritis, if the acidity is lowered, with tumors.
Cloudberries are also used for coughs, colds and tuberculosis. Tea from the leaves, prepared in the usual way, also has an excellent effect. Rose hips and honey can be added to it instead of sugar.
Delicious recipes
There are a lot of sweets loved by children, which are based on cloudberries. We will consider the recipes of some of them below.
To make jam, a kilogram of berries is taken, the same amount of sugar and a little water. First, water is mixed with sugar, the syrup is put on fire and stirred. Berries are added after boiling and boiled for 30 minutes. Then the mixture is passed, rubbing, through a sieve and boiled for another 10 minutes. Ready-made jam will help with colds, infections, improves immunity. It is used for prevention in the off-season, when the risk of SARS is high.
Pastila is prepared like this. dried,put in the oven in a saucepan. After heating the berries, rub them through a sieve and add one part of sugar to two parts of cloudberries. Place back in the oven and dry. All minerals and vitamins are preserved in this dish, so it is often used to treat infectious diseases.
Compote is very easy to make. After washing the fruits, they are placed in jars, combining with a layer of sugar. Then pour boiling water and seal.
For jelly, the berries are crushed, poured with water, brought to a boil and filtered. After that, gelatin and sugar are added to the resulting broth, boiled for 30 minutes and packaged in dishes.
Cloudberry for Pushkin
Legend says that before leaving after the duel, the great poet asked for soaked cloudberries. No one was surprised at such a request, since everyone knew that he was very fond of this berry, as well as lingonberries. It is believed that the Pushkin family bought it at the Round Market from a merchant named Gerasim Dmitriev.
About two centuries have passed, and a stylish restaurant was opened on this place, which is called Cloudberry for Pushkin. Of course, there is no berry in it, unfortunately. But Petersburgers are still grateful for the tribute to the memory of the Russian poet.
